Poinsettia plant named ‘LAZZPO1615’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘LAZZPO1615’, characterized by its compact, upright “V”-shaped and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and strong stems; dark green-colored leaves; full inflorescences with medium to large bright red-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LAZZPO1615’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘LAZZPO1615’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merano and Sabaudia, Italy. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact, upright “V”-shaped and freely-branching Poinsettia plants with strong stems and attractive flower bracts.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination during the spring of 2013 in Merano, Italy of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Duebelita’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,071, as the female, or seed, parent with Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Allegra Red’, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the resulting progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabaudia, Italy in December, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabaudia, Italy since July, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘LAZZPO1615’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘LAZZPO1615’ as a new and distinct Poinsettia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright “V”-shaped and uniformly mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit and strong stems.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Full inflorescences with medium to large bright red-colored         flower bracts.     -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Duebelita’. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Duebelita’ in growth habit as plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of ‘Duebelita’. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia have slightly smaller flower bracts than plants of ‘Duebelita’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘Allegra Red’. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Allegra Red’ in flower bract size as plants of the new Poinsettia have larger flower bracts than plants of ‘Allegra Red’. In addition, plants of the new Poinsettia flower about 3 to 7 days earlier than plants of ‘Allegra Red’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘Dopoinimp’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 32,859. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of ‘Dopoinimp’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia are not as vigorous as plants of         ‘Dopoinimp’.     -   2. Flower bracts of plants of the new Poinsettia are more red         than and not as orange as flower bracts of plants of         ‘Dopoinimp’.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower a few days later than         plants of ‘Dopoinimp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘LAZZPO1615’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘LAZZPO1615’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Merano, Italy and under cultural practices typical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C., night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 15° C. and light levels ranged from 40 to 55 klux. Plants were pinched one time after planting, grown under natural daylength conditions and were five months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘LAZZPO1615’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.             ‘Duebelita’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,071.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.             ‘Allegra Red’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at soil             temperatures ranging from 22° C. to 25° C. and ambient             temperatures ranging from 25° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at soil temperatures ranging from 22° C. to 25° C. and             ambient temperatures ranging from 25° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to thick, slightly fleshy;             typically pale creamy white in color, actual color of the             roots is dependent on substrate composition, water quality,             fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and             physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright “V”-shaped and             uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth             habit and moderate growth rate; full inflorescences             positioned above the foliar plane.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 20             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 25             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm to 45 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about four to five lateral branches             developing after pinching. Length: About 18 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Internode length: About             1.3 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, developing: Close to             137D; at the internodes, close to 137C. Color, developed:             Close to 137B.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 10 cm to 11 cm. Width: About 7.5 cm to 8 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire to             slightly lobed; slightly undulate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, reticulate. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Texture and luster, lower             surface: Rugose, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color: Developing             leaves, upper surface: Close to 141B. Developing leaves,             lower surface: Close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 151A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 153A. Petioles: Length: About 4 cm to 5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 183B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 182B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Full inflorescences are             compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts             subtending the cyathia; one inflorescence per lateral branch             with inflorescences positioned above and beyond the foliar             plane.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower naturally during the             late autumn to winter under long nyctoperiod conditions;             inflorescence initiation and development can be induced             under artificial long nyctoperiod conditions; response time             is about 7.5 to 8 weeks.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good             substance and bract color for about four to six weeks;             flower bracts persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm to 4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6             mm to 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 10 to 15.             Length: About 12 cm to 15 cm. Width: About 8 cm to 8.5 cm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire; slightly undulate. Aspect: Horizontal. Venation:             Pinnate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Moderately rugose, glabrous; matte. Color: Developing             bracts, upper surface: Close to 46A. Developing bracts,             lower surface: Close to 143C and 46C. Fully expanded bracts,             upper surface: Close to 45B; venation, close to 45B; color             does not change with subsequent development. Fully expanded             bracts, lower surface: Close to 46C; venation, close to 46C;             color becoming closer to 45C with subsequent development.             Bract petioles: Length: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Diameter:             About 2 mm. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy. Color, upper surface: Close             to 183C. Color, lower surface: Close to 184D.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About six to eight. Length:             About 4 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid.             Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, developing, inner surface: Close to             144B. Color, developing, outer surface: Close to 144C.             Color, fully developed, inner surface: Close to 144A. Color,             fully developed, outer surface: Close to 143B. Nectaries:             Quantity per cyathium: Typically one. Length: About 3 mm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Shape: Lip-shaped. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color, developing, inner surface: Close to 15A. Color,             developing, outer surface: Close to 15B. Color, fully             developed, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 16A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm             to 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy to matte. Color: Close to             145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathia:             Numerous. Filament length: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Filament             color: Close to 183B. Anther size: About 2 mm by 4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 14B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 14B. Pistils: Quantity per cyathia:             Typically two. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Style length:             About 3 mm. Stigma diameter: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Stigma             color: Close to 46A. Ovary color: Close to 139C. Fruits: To             date, fruit development has not been observed on plants of             the new Poinsettia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Poinsettia     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘LAZZO1615’ as illustrated and described. 